


Trash, Trinkets and Birthday Visions

by astrarche_x



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: (but i wish it was), Angst, Gen, Mention of Parent Death, Not Beta Read, One Shot, Past Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Slice of Life, Very brief mention of alcohol, birthday fic, set during the 12 years when Remus was on his own, the Lupin family - Freeform, working class werewolf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:54:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29965971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astrarche_x/pseuds/astrarche_x
Summary: Remus is so much not where he would like to be in life and his dad doesn't help. Nostalgic feelings follow.
Kudos: 1





	Trash, Trinkets and Birthday Visions

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> It's my first fic on AO3 and I'm not a native English speaker, so apologies for any mistakes, especially with punctuation.
> 
> Also Remus' parents are named John and Rea because that's my headcanon from waayyy before the article on Lupin was published on Pottermore.

_10th of March, 1984_

It was late morning and Remus’ shift at the pizza place didn’t start until 5 pm. He considered staying in bed longer today – it was Saturday and he deserved some rest, after all. Two years of working multiple jobs at the same time – as a postman and pizza delivery man, recently – finally culminated in his ability to move from dingy, old flat of 183 sq. ft. to dingy, old flat of 270 sq. ft. He had thought of moving out of London to some other, cheaper city, but he didn’t really know where to. He didn’t want to go back to Wales after what Thatcher has been doing there – they didn’t need more unemployed young men. Scotland was also out of question - he didn’t want to feel nostalgic every time he looked out of window and saw a landscape so similar to Hogwarts’ surroundings. When it came to England, he didn’t know any wizard communities other than those in London and Godric’s Hollow and wasn’t eager to bother with joining a new one. Besides, it wasn’t like his employment prospects were much better in the wizard society than in muggle one. So he stayed where he was and kept on working. The pizza place wouldn’t let him go easily: he’s been the employee of the month three times in a row now and every so often new clients came in lured by what they’d heard on the grapevine about the excellent delivery, supposedly the best in the whole London. This was obviously Remus’ doing: he didn’t have to struggle with the traffic jam if he could just apparate a few buildings from his destination. And if by some miracle the pizza had gone cold by the time he arrived, the heating spell was always there to use. He could make more money in an hour from the tips than from his hourly wage. It was hardly a source of pride – treating it as an achievement only reminded him how much he would like to do something more ambitious - but he didn’t mind additional cash.

The telephone rang and Remus jumped out of bed. It must have been one of his managers – they were the only reason he had that landline installed. He picked up the phone and said:

“Hello, John Lupin speaking.”

There was a second of silence and after a beat, a surprised voice spoke:

“Remus?”

“Dad?”

“Why are you using my name?”

Remus sighed.

“Because it’s my second name and it’s more common. I don’t want people looking at me like I was a freak when I introduce myself.”

“Well, these people better learn how to mind their business! Wizards have all kinds of strange names, can’t they pick on someone named Pomponius? Remus is perfectly fine!”

“Dad… I work with muggles now.”

“Ah, I see! Ministerial Department of Muggle Relations, is it?”

“No… Dad, I work in the muggle world.”— Remus closed his eyes. —“As a postman.”

He thought this profession sounded more responsibly, but not to his father, apparently.

“A postman? You’re doing a job an animal could do! What are you, a human owl? That’s undignified!”

“Listen, dad”— Remus was trying to keep cool —“we haven’t spoken in a few years and I wouldn’t mind it if it stayed that way, okay? Especially if you’re calling just to tell me how pathetic I am. It’s not like I have options to choose from, remember?”

“Nonsense, my son! You’ve always been a brilliant young wizard! You’re just being too soft on yourself, if you only applied yourself more, looked for better opportunities…”

Ah, here it was, Remus thought. Dad was shifting into denial mode again.

“Dad, we’ve been through this,” he sighed. “People don’t want to hire me! I’m a werewolf, don’t you recall?”

“There’s no need to shove it in my face every time we talk, son! “

“Maybe there is a need, if you’re still blaming me for the situation that is beyond my control.”

“I’m not blaming you, I’m just concerned that you’re disconnected from your heritage!”

“Dad, please, you’re beginning to sound like these pureblood scums I fought against a few years ago. I care more about having money for rent and groceries than about my heritage! And if anything is getting disconnected, it’s more like the wizarding society is doing this to me, not the other way around. And you know what? In some ways it’s even better. Muggles don’t bat an eyelid if I ask for three days off when we’re setting the monthly schedule! They don’t check it with lunar charts! They don’t even have access to the werewolf registry! Do you realize what a huge change this is to me? ”

There was a moment of silence and Remus thought that his dad had hung up while he was speaking, but finally a quiet voice said:

“I realize that the wizarding society might have been… unwelcoming… to you. But I still want you to be a part of it.”

“Well, the rest of its members doesn’t seem to share this feeling. And besides, all the people that I’d have liked to stick in there for are gone.”

This was a little harsh, considering he was talking to his father, but by accident Remus let slip the truth and didn’t see the point in taking it back now. At the other end of the line, his dad sighed.

“Your mum… She would like you to be a part of it too.”

“Why are you bringing her into the conversation now?”

John Lupin took a deep breath.

“Listen, boy, the reason I’m calling you… is her. You know she liked cultivating tradition.”

Remus nodded, although he knew his dad couldn’t see it.

“See, after a wizard comes of age, every seventh birthday marks some threshold and is an occasion for special celebration. Your mum prepared something for you in advance, so you can come and get it. And, given that you so obviously don’t want anything to do with me, you can take the rest of your old things with you as well.”

Remus decided to ignore the provocation.

“Thanks, dad. Can I be at your place in a few minutes?”

“Sure.”

“And, dad?”

“Yes?”

“Why did you call me instead of sending me an owl?”

John Lupin let out a sigh.

“I don’t even know where you live these days, boy. I didn’t know what address to give to the owl. Anyway, see you soon. Happy birthday.”

“Oh, it’s today,” was all Remus managed to say before his father hung up. He put down the phone, put on a jacket and left the flat.

***

Remus was back after an hour. The visit in his family home in Wales was quick and straightforward. John Lupin didn’t offer him lunch and Remus would be the last to suggest it, even though the timing was perfect to grab a bite. They had only drank tea together and sat in an uncomfortable silence for a tad longer than necessary before Remus’ father finally gave him the gift from his mother and the school trunk filled with old stuff, patted him awkwardly on the back, wished Remus happy birthday again and practically pushed him out of the door. After a quick apparition, Remus was again standing in his flat, with a couple of hours left until the work started. He began to unwrap the package with the birthday gift. Under the glossy purple paper there was a box with a card attached to the lid. It read:

_To my beloved Remus on his 24 th birthday. I give you an antique box for Floo powder and a matching inkwell – a pair of suitable accessories for a young wizard on the edge of a serious career, as I imagine you will be in a few years, when this civil unrest finally ends. Meanwhile you can use them to keep in touch with your friends. I also attach two rings, the family heirlooms – one for you and one for a future Mrs Lupin, should you find her._

_I wish you all the very best, my son._

_Your mother,_

_Rea Lupin_

Remus tried his best to remain calm and collected. He didn’t want to arrive at work with eyes all red and puffy, did he? He took a deep breath, then another one. It worked, as long as he was able to silence every echo of his mother’s voice in his head. He looked at the gifts with polite disinterest: the inkwell looked pretty and expensive, so he could use it as an ornament or sell it in case he needed money; he didn’t use quills anymore. The Floo powder box was also useless, as he didn’t have a fireplace in his flat, but he figured out it would serve well as a toiletries holder. When it came to the rings… Well, on his postman duty Remus had met a handsome guy living alone and a seemingly single cute girl, so he strategically started hitting on both, but he doubted he would propose to any of them anytime soon.

“No luck, mum,” he whispered.

He moved on to browsing through his old trunk. It was mostly filled with worthless rubbish: old homework assignments, notes, Gryffindor badges, t-shirts he once liked and mysterious items that Remus suspected could have been used for pranks. However, at the very bottom of the trunk, he discovered a few records, so he pulled them out to get a better look. In the same moment a folded piece of paper fell to the floor. Remus picked it up: it was an old, handmade birthday card, with “Happy birthday!” written in a neat cursive he recognized at once. He opened the card and blinked in surprise, for it was blank. A second later he noticed it was getting brighter and brighter, until the beam of light formed a ghost-like image of grinning seventeen-year-old Sirius standing on the other side of the room.

“Moony!” spoke the spectre. “Happy birthday, my old man! Finally an adult, eh? Can’t wait till tonight, when we’re gonna get pissed, for the first time legally, and then, you know…”— spectre-Sirius gave a suggestive eyebrow wiggle. —“Anyway, wishing you everything the best from your old pal Pads! Lots of fun and banter… Remember I’ll be by your side till the death do us part!”

Spectre-Sirius winked and blew a small kiss in his direction, which made Remus feel queasy. He closed the card and then, after a moment of hesitation, rolled it into a tube and slowly put one of the rings on it. Then he pulled out his wand, levitated the card into the air and set it on fire. He didn’t watch it turn to ashes; he was too busy setting up the record player. He let the needle fall in a random place on the vinyl and the music started to play.

_…Let the wind blow through your heart_

_For wild is the wind, wild is the wind…_

The cold March breeze came through the constantly open window, making the ashes on the floor dance. Remus closed his eyes. How fitting.

**Author's Note:**

> song: Wild is the Wind by David Bowie, please look it up (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsqlXkkEKxI)
> 
> I'd really appreciate feedback, constructive criticism included :)


End file.
